New BSE related feed ban delayed by FDA

A long-planned ban on the use of certain cattle materials in any animal feed to prevent BSE The US has been delayed by another 2 months. The ban would take effect Jun 26 instead of Apr 27.

The FDA said it was proposing the delay because some cattle industry groups have expressed concern about their ability to comply with the rule by Apr 27, with some saying they are finding it difficult to find other ways to get rid of materials that can no longer be made into animal feed.

The banned items, known as specified risk materials (SRM), include the brains and spinal cords of cattle more than 30 months old. The FDA is also providing a week for public comment solely on whether to delay the ban.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) criticized the FDA in a statement, saying the agency should reopen public discussion of the ban to allow for full consideration of problems it will cause. Existing BSE safeguards have limited the prevalence of BSE in healthy US cattle to a "negligible" level, the NCBA said. The group argued that the expanded feed ban will yield little benefit for animal health or food safety while causing "tremendous costs" and disposal problems for ranchers.